Blue Transitions in the Black Sea: Multi-ActorForums to Advance a Sustainable Blue Economy

The Blue Economy, encompassing all economic activities associated with littoral regions,oceans, and waters, is crucial for the sustainable development of areas worldwide. Situated atthe nexus of Asia and Europe, the Black Sea possesses tremendous potential for the expansionof a thriving Blue Economy. Conversely, this potential is accompanied by a distinct array ofobstacles that necessitate resolution in order to guarantee the enduring expansion of maritimesectors in the area. An EU-funded project, DOORS Black Sea 1 , that develops optimal andaccessible Black Sea research support, aims to tackle these issues. DOORS facilitatescollaboration among industry, academia, and local communities in an effort to revitalize theBlack Sea and foster "blue economy" opportunities through the implementation of a system ofsystems (SoS) that addresses the effects of climate change and human activities on the marineecosystem. Success, value, and impact of DOORS are contingent on stakeholder participation.Collaboration with researchers advances science and technology, imbuing project work withgreater significance. Multi-Actor Forums (MAFs) facilitate the collaboration of diversenational stakeholders from Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey in order to assistscientists in the prioritization of Black Sea issues, with an emphasis on innovations to addressgaps and blue economy policies. This method also contributes to the co-design of the region#39;sSystem of Systems, which provides the necessary insights for researchers to addressenvironmental challenges and advance the blue economy. This research examines thepotential implications of the findings on the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy andpolicy-related matters in the area. 1https://www.doorsblacksea.eu